Calories Burned Calculator
Based on MET values — multiples of resting metabolic rate. The important number most calculators hide is the <em>net</em> one: you would have burned energy sitting on the sofa too, and that share does not count as exercise.
Activity
MET values are population averages — your own rate varies with fitness and technique.
For context
What a MET actually is
One MET is the energy cost of sitting quietly: by convention 3.5 millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute, which works out to roughly 1 kcal per kilogram per hour. An activity rated at 8 METs costs eight times that. The arithmetic is kcal = MET × 3.5 × weight(kg) / 200 × minutes, which is what this page uses.
Gross versus net, and why the difference matters
A 70 kg person jogging for 30 minutes at 7 METs burns about 257 kcal in total. But sitting still for those same 30 minutes would have cost about 37 kcal anyway. The net cost of the exercise is therefore around 220 kcal, not 257. Over a week of daily sessions the difference is roughly a quarter of a day's worth of the number people think they earned — which is one reason exercise alone moves weight more slowly than expected.
Why your real burn differs from the table
MET values are averages measured on groups of adults. A trained runner is more economical and burns less at the same pace; poor technique burns more. Body composition matters because lean tissue is metabolically active and fat is not, so two people of identical weight can differ measurably. Treat any single figure as being accurate to within about 15 to 20 per cent.
How this maps onto official guidance
US federal guidance asks adults for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous, plus muscle-strengthening on two days. Moderate is roughly 3 to 6 METs; vigorous is above 6. The intensity band shown above uses those thresholds, so you can check whether an activity counts toward the moderate or the vigorous target.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the formula for calories burned?
Why is the net figure lower than the gross figure?
How accurate are MET-based estimates?
How much activity should I be doing?
Sources
Official publications only. Links open the original document in a new tab.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Adult activity: an overview What counts as moderate and vigorous activity
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Official activity levels and weekly targets